Clitellariinae

Introduction

Clitellariinae is a heterogenous group of genera that has no clear synapomorphies. The larvae of several genera of Clitellariinae, such as Dicyphoma, are larvae are scavengers in decaying plant tissue (James, 1965).

Characteristics

Woodley (2001) acknowledges that the Clitellariinae are poorly defined morphologically. As currently conscribed, they are distinguished by the presence of vein M₃, presence of pilosity on post-tegula, absence of tibial spurs, and a convex posterior surface of the head. These states are all plesiomorphic and many suffer from homoplasy (Woodley 2001).

Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships

The morphologically diverse subfamily Clitellariinae is not shown to be monophyletic in Brammer and von Dohlen (2007). There are no strong morphological synapomorphies for the group as currently defined (Woodley 2001). Few statements can be made about relationships between the clitellariine genera as many remain unassigned to the putative tribes Clitellariini and Cyphomyiini. Brammer and von Dohlen's (2007) phylogenetic analysis of Stratiomyidae using molecular data found 5 independent lineages of Clitellariinae, as follows:

• In some analyses, Ruba was sister to all Stratiomyidae other than Parhadrestiinae, Chiromyzinae, Beridinae, and Pachygastrinae.
• Abavus, Acropeltates and Alopecuroceras were sister to a clade consisting of (Chrysochlorininae+Hermetiinae)+(Nemotelinae+Sarginae).
• Ampsalis, Auloceromyia, Dieuryneura, Dysbiota, and Lagenosoma were sister to a clade containing Stratiomyinae, Raphiocerinae, and the next two clitellariine lineages (the lineages containing Clitellaria and Cyphomyia). 
  
• Adoxomyia, Clitellaria, Diaphorostylus, Ditylometopa, Euryneura, and Nigritomyia were sister to a clade containing Stratiomyinae, Raphiocerinae, and the clitellariine lineage containing Cyphomyia.
• Abasanistus, Chordonota, Cyphomyia, Dicyphoma, Labocerina, Leucoptilum, and Octarthria were sister to Stratiomyinae+Raphiocerinae. In some analyses, Octarthria was the sister to Stratiomyinae+Rhaphiocerinae. Brammer and von Dohlen (2007) hesitated to assign new suprageneric ranks until more genera are sampled and more data are added.

References

Brammer, C. A. 2005. Quichuamyia, a new Neotropical genus of Stratiomyidae (Insecta: Diptera). Zootaxa 990:1-14.

Brammer, C.A. and C.D. von Dohlen. 2007. The evolutionary history of Stratiomyidae (Insecta: Diptera): the molecular phylogeny of a diverse family of flies. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 43:660-73.

James, M.T. 1965. Family Stratiomyidae. Pp.299-319, in Stone, A., C. Sabrosky, W. Wirth, R. Foote, J. Coulson. A catalog of the Diptera of America north of Mexico. Agricultural Research Service, USDA, IIV, 1-1696.

Woodley, N. E. 2001. A World Catalog of the Stratiomyidae (Insecta: Diptera). Myia 11: 1-473. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden.